Multiple push-button switch



July 2, 1963 s. A. WOODWARD MULTIPLE PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH Filed Dec. 30. 1960 [27/617 6'02" Stewart/4. Waodwaraj Attorney- United States Patent 3,095,756 MULTIPLE PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH Stewart A. Woodward, Stratford, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 30, 1960, Ser. No. 79,807 8 Claims. (6i. 74-503) This invention relates to an improved multiple pushbutton switch and particularly to a multiple push-button type switch having a plurality of actuating members, such as push buttons, arranged in closely spaced side-byside relationship.

Push-button type switches have found widespread application as appliance switches for electric ranges, washing machines, and room air conditioners, etc. In many of these applications, it is desirable to operate such a switch by the manual depression of push buttons, which are arranged in variegated configurations within a control panel of the appliance, and have adjacent vertical walls in close proximity. During the life of the switch, such buttons as those often become unbalanced or rub together, making it more diflicult to efiicieutly manipulate them. In such applications, therefore, it has been found advantageous to efliciently control the movement of these buttons, and to maintain them in substantially uniform positions at all times. This, of course, helps increase the life of the switch and the ease of operation thereof.

An important object of this invention is to provide a multiple push-button switch with a novel and elficient means for controlling the movement and positioning of the reciprocating actuating members thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved multiple push-button switch which includes a plurality of reciprocating actuating members having adjacent vertical walls, and a means for maintaining these walls in substantially uniform spaced relationship.

An additional object of this invention is to provide, in a multiple push-button switch having closely spaced reciprocating actuating members, an integral means for positioning these members uniformly with relation to each other for various reciprocating positions thereof.

In carrying out my invention, in one form thereof, I apply it to a multiple push-button type switch having a housing and a plurality of contacts arranged therein. A plurality of parallel pushrods are extended through an outer wall of the housing and disposed in side-by-side relation for operating the contacts. A push button is fastened to the outer end of each of these pushrods. The push buttons are arranged so that adjacent side walls of push buttons next to each other are in close proximity and parallel to each other. By my invention, a protuberance is extended outwardly from the outer surface of each of the adjacent side walls toward the outer sur face of the other. The protuberance of each push button is spaced laterally from the protuberance of the other push button and rides along the adjacent side wall of the other push button. These protuberances maintain the adjacent push buttons in substantially uniform spaced relationships, and thereby enhance the efficiency of operation of the switch. Also a means may be provided in my switch for effectively controlling the movement and positioning of the push buttons when end walls thereof are positioned in close proximity to a parallel wall of a control panel. In such an application, a plurality of protuberanoes are extended outwardly from the outer surface of the end wall of the push buttons alongside of the panel. These end wall protuberances ride along the adjacent side wall of the control panel to maintain the push buttons in substantially uniform spaced proximity thereto and additionally enhance the efficiency of operation of l the switch.

Further aspects of my invention will become apparent hereinafter, and the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which I regard as my invention. The invention, as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an improved multiple pushbutton switch embodying my invention, with the switch arranged alongside of a wall of a control panel or escutc'heon;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the switch of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the push buttons of the switch of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a push button embodying my invention in alternate form thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a multiple push-button switch 1 with which my invention has been advantageously employed. Switch '1, as illustrated in FIG. 2, includes three pushro ds 3 which are disposed in side-by-side parallel relationship and extend outwardly through appropriate apertures (not shown) formed in top wall 5 of hollow casing 7. Each of these pushrods 3 has its inner end arranged within the casing 7 to operate a pair of contacts (not shown) connected to certain terminals 9 when the pushrod is depressed. As is well known in the art, a means is provided within the switch casing 7 for returning any previously depressed pushrod to its outermost position, and preventing the simultaneous operation of any other pushrod when one pushrod is depressed.

To close the hollow casing 7 and cooperate therewith to form a switch housing, plate 11 is fastened to the bottom of casing 7 in some suitable manner, such as by staking the terminals to the casing 7 and to the insulating plate 11.

According to my invention, the switch 1 is operated by the digital manipulation of push buttons 13, 15, and .17 which are attached to the outer ends of the pushrods 3. The illustrated push buttons 13, 15, and 17 are of molded plastic construction, have a rectangular boxshaped appearance, and may be made of a translucent plastic material commonly known as tenite propionate, which is obtainable in variegated colors. More specifically, push buttons 13, 15, and 17 include transverse vertical side walls 13a, 13-h, 15a, 15b, 17a, 17b, respectively, and longitudinal and vertical end walls 13c, 13d, 15c, 15d, 17c, 17d, respectively. The side and end walls of each of the push buttons are perpendicular to smooth outer actuating surfaces 13c, 15c, and :17e; The bottoms of the push buttons 13, 15, and 17 are suitably recessed to receive, engage, and become conveniently attached to the outer ends of the pushrods 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the illustrated push buttons have a central hub 19' with slot 21 formed therein. The push buttons .13, 15, and 17 are securely attached to the pushrods by pressing slots 21 of the push button into engagement with the outer ends of the associated pushrods.

To reduce the quantity of material necessary to form each of the push buttons 13, 15, and 17 and thereby provide push buttons which are low in cost, each push bu ton is essentially hollow, as shown in FIG. 3, with cross ribs extending between the hub .19 and the inner walls to elficiently stiffen and strengthen the structure of each push button.

Turning now to an important aspect of the present invention, whereby a novel and efficient means is provided for accurately controlling and positioning the push buttons of a multiple push-button switch attention is directed to FIG. 1. As shown therein, push buttons 13, 15, and 17 are positioned alongside of each other and arranged linearly, with adjacent pairs of side Walls 13b, 15a, and 15b, 17a being disposed in close proximity. On each of the inner side walls 13b, 15a, 15b, and 17a, a pair of protuberance 23 is formed. The protuberances 23 extend from vertically curved upper ends 25 (FIGS. 2. and 4) which are approximately midway between the top and bottom of the button, to the bottom of the associated wall. By forming the protuberances on the side walls 13b, 15a, 15b, and 17a in this manner, an attractive overall appearance at the outer surfaces of the push buttons is thereby realized. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, it will also be seen that protuberances 23 have the configuration of cylindrical segments and are rib-like, extending vertically and outwardly along each of the side walls 13b, 15a, 15b, 17a. The outermost extremities of the protuberances are contiguous to the flat surfaces of oppositely located side walls for each pair of adjacent side walls. This spaces the adjacent walls apart longitudinally with relation to each other by an accurate predetermined gap 27 equal to the depth of the protuberances. More particularly, as shown in FIG. 1, the protuberances 23 of each of the side walls 13b, 15a, 15b, and 170: serve as accurate spacing ribs which ride along the flat surface of the wall is next to it, and thereby control the movement of the push buttons, keeping them substantially level and properly spaced.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, when one of the push buttons, such as, for example, push button 17, is depressed to its inner position, the protuberances of the depressed push button move downwardly and away from the side wall of the adjacent push button. But, because there are two protuberances n the side wall next to the depressed push button, it will be seen that gap 27 between the two push buttons is still accurately maintained by engagement of these two protuberances wtih the side wall of the depressed push button. The curvature at upper end 25 of the protuberances assures smooth upward movement of depressed push button 17 despite possible misalignment due to manufacturing inaccuracies.

Turning now to another important aspect of my invention, as shown in FIG. 1, end walls 13d, 15d, and 17d of the push buttons 13, 15, and 17 are disposed in coplanar fashion in spaced proximity to a vertical wall 29 of a control panel escutcheon 31. For such an arrangement, two protuberances 33 are formed on each of the end walls 13d, 15d, and 17d. Protuberances 33 have the same configuration as protuberances 23, and they ride along the wall 29 of the escutcheon to control and maintain the gap 35 therebetween. It :will be understood by those skilled in the art that protuberances 33 could also 'be formed on outer ends 130, 15c, and 170 as Well as on side end walls 13a and 17b of the push buttons to further control the positioning of the push buttons by engagement with other suitably configured escutcheon walls.

FIG. illustrates a modified form of my invention wherein push button 37 has the same configuration as push button 13. Instead of forming the protuberances 23 with their cylindrical segments on the walls 37b and 37d of push button 37, I have provided hemispherically shaped bosses 39. Two bosses 39 are thus projected outwardly from each of the walls 37b and 37d, near the bottom of button. Push buttons, such as push button 37, having hemispherically shaped bosses may also be used for the control and positioning of pushrods 3 of switch 1.

It will be understood from the foregoing that my new and improved multiple bush-button switch, such as herein illustrated, provides a simple and efficient means for economically providing accurate control of the movement and positioning of the push buttons. It should be realized that such push buttons as I have disclosed may assume various other configurations within the purview of my invention, and that certain aspects of my invention may be incorporated efficiently and beneficially in other numerous and various push-button switch applications.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have described what at present are considered to be the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from my invention, and I, therefore, aim in the following claims to cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the :United States is:

1. In a multiple push-button switch, at least two side-byside reciprocating actuating members for controlling said switch by the selective reciprocation thereof along parallel spaced apart axes, each of said members having a vertical wall in close proximity to an associated vertical wall of the other of said members, and at least one protuberance formed on each said wall, the protuberance of each of the walls being positioned to ride along the other wall thereby to maintain the members in substantially uniform spaced relationship thereto during and after reciprocating movement of said actuating members of said switch.

2. In a multiple push-button switch, at least two rcciprocating members for controlling said switch by the selective reciprocation thereof, each of said members having a generally planar vertical wall in close proximity to an associated generally planar vertical wall of the other of said members, and a plurality of laterally spaced protuberances formed on each said wall, said protuberances having the configuration of cylindrical segments extending in a direction parallel to the axis of reciprocation of said members, the protuberances of each of the walls being positioned to ride along the other Wall thereby to maintain the members in substantially uniform spaced relationship during and after the reciprocating movement of said members.

3. The switch of claim 1 wherein said members have parallel coplanar vertical walls in close proximity to the vertical wall of an associated panel, and a plurality of protuberances formed on each of said coplanar walls, the protuberances of the coplanar walls being positioned to ride along the vertical wall of the panel thereby to maintain the members in substantially uniform spaced relationship thereto during and after the reciprocation of said members.

4. In a multiple push-button switch, at least two reciprocating members for controlling said switch by the selective reciprocation thereof, each of said members having a generally planar vertical wall in close proximity to an associated generally planar vertical wall of the other of said members, and a plurality of laterally spaced protuberances formed on each said wall, the protuberances of each of the walls being positioned to ride along the other wall thereby to maintain the members in substantially uniform spaced relationship during and after the reciprocating movement of said members.

5. In a multiple push-button switch, at least two reciprocating members for controlling said switch by the selective reciprocation thereof, each of said members having a generally planar vertical wall in close proximity to an associated generally planar vertical wall of the other of said members, and a plurality of laterally spaced protuberances formed on each said wall, said protuberances having the configuration of spherically configured bosses facing outwardly, the protuberances of each of the walls being positioned to ride along the other wall thereby to maintain the members in substantially uniform spaced relationship during and after the reciprocating movement of said members.

6. In a multiple push-button switch, at least two reciprocating pushrods for controlling said switch by the selective reciprocation thereof, a push button attached to the outer end of each of said pushrods, each of the push buttons having a generally planar vertical wall in close proximity and parallel to an associated generally planar vertical wall of the other of said push buttons, and a plurality of laterally spaced protuberances formed on each said Wall, said protuberances having the configuration of cylindrical segments extending in a direction parallel to the axis of reciprocation of said push buttons, the protwberances of each of the walls being positioned to ride along the other wall thereby to maintain the members in substantially uniform spaced relationship during and after the reciprocating movement of said members.

7. The switch of claim 6 wherein the top of each of the protuber-ances is spaced vertically downwardly from References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS the top of the push button thereby to enhance the ap- 15 2,680,397

pearance of the switch.

8. The switch of claim 6 wherein the push buttons have a rectangular box-shaped configuration.

1,438,935 Denyes Dec. 12, 1922 1,743,506 Watson et a1. Jan. 14, 1930 1,947,536 Shakespeare Feb. 20, 1934 2,242,055 Cramer May 13, 1941 2,318,572 Cramer May 4, 1943 2,330,833 Marholz et al Oct. 5, 1943 2,382,966 Arens Aug. 21, 1945 2,451,150 Brian Oct. 12, 1948 2,645,972 Aitcheson July 21, 1953 2,646,333 Abrahaatnson et a1. July 21, 1953 2,647,166 Lens July 28, 1953 Saunders-Singer June 8, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 1 1, 1922 

1. IN A MULTIPLE PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH, AT LEAST TWO SIDE-BYSIDE RECIPROCATING ACTUATING MEMBERS FOR CONTROLLING SAID SWITCH BY THE SELECTIVE RECIPROCATION THEREOF ALONG PARALLEL SPACED APART AXES, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A VERTICAL WALL IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO AN ASSOCIATED VERTICAL WALL OF THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS, AND AT LEAST ONE PROTUBERANCE FORMED ON EACH SAID WALL, THE PROTUBERANCE OF EACH 